First Time on Lake Erie

[Willes]

Interesting thread. So most of us feel our watercraft are limited in large water, yet we have had a Marine take a Tritoon and completed the Great loop out of Missouri in a record time which requires some fairly large water and I just received an issue of Boating and the first article I read was for a Bennington 23 SCCTTX. This craft looks like it was made for open water. We just attended a wedding in Silver Bay on the North Shore of Lake Superior. The wind was blowing and all I could think of was that water was way to big for me to even dream of putting my craft on it. So my thought is, what are the limits of our watercraft?

People have crossed oceans on less capable watercraft. The limits are what you feel comfortable with. I would only be on a lake that big in ideal weather, mainly because I bring people with me and would never want to put anyone in danger or make them sick. My Yelp score would drop like a rock!

 

[Vikingstaff]

My Yelp score would drop like a rock!

Too funny!!! It probably would. 1 star and complaints. Business would tank after that.

 

[CLDave]

This is what I think of when I hear of folks out on huge water - watch out till at least the 58-second mark (there's a Benny at 20 seconds in too):

 

[Willes]

This is what I think of when I hear of folks out on huge water - watch out till at least the 58-second mark (there's a Benny at 20 seconds in too):

Haha. I’ve watched that one a few times. Boat fails on YouTube is one of my favorite series.

 

[Potomacbassin’]

There are some tremendous discussions around the internet about a pontoon’s ability to handle bigger water, some thoughtful and others just full of bravado. That YouTube video of the Avalon crossing to Cuba only added more fuel to the debate.

Many manufacturers have made it clear that pontoons are not well-suited for real snotty conditions such as those that could be experienced on the open ocean. I would put a bad day on a Great Lake in the same category. But there are plenty of non-pontoon hulls that also don’t belong on big water, not to mention incompetent and ill-prepared owners.

On a calm day you can take a canoe out on the ocean. Hell you can just put some floaties on your arms and go for a long swim. But as the conditions get worse and less predictable, design, length, power and capability start mattering. Where does a pontoon fall on that spectrum? Lots of opinions. Probably somewhere in between. But I think just as important is knowing how to pick your days and what capabilities reside between your ears. Most boating accidents occur due to lack of boater education, stupidity and unnecessary risks.